Scottish international exports in 2006 rose by £1.4 billion from the previous year, driven by a rise in manufacturing and service sector exports.
This brings Scotland's estimated international expors, excluding oil and gas, to £20.6bn, according to the annual Global Connections Survey.
The top five exporting industries in 2006 were food & beverages, chemicals (including refined petroleum products), the wholesale, retail & accommodation sector, business services and office machinery. Together these industries accounted for over half of total exports.
The USA continues to be Scotland's top country export destination with an estimated £1.8 billion of exports in 2006, although declining by £0.85 billion from 2005. Exports to France have rapidly risen in 2006 to make it Scotland's second top export destination, estimated to be worth £1.6 billion
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said, speaking as the survey was published, that the Government would act to make Scotland a more competitive place for businesses.
"This government is acting to make Scotland a more attractive and a more competitive place to do business – both for companies exporting from Scotland and businesses looking to invest here.
"Today's Global Connections Survey shows encouraging growth in exports over 2006 – but we are committed to doing better across the whole of the Scottish economy and ending decades of underachievement.
"That's why the Government Economic Strategy commits the whole of the public sector to work towards creating the right conditions to achieve our aim of increased, sustainable economic growth.
"The draft Scottish budget, reform of the enterprise networks, reducing and removing business rates and meetings like the one I am having with the engineering sector today prove that we are already making our strategy a reality."
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